2025 NFL Mock Draft: Chiefs trade up to fill Super Bowl need; impact of QB musical chairs on the draft

Cam Ward is the favorite to be the first quarterback drafted. If Tennessee elects to go the quarterback direction, then Ward is probably the guy. There is a world where they do not feel a conviction for one of the quarterbacks in this class and instead take the best prospect available.

Myles Garrett has made his desires for a trade known. Although the Browns are unlikely to deal him, there is still a clear value in adding a player like Abdul Carter. Look no further than the Super Bowl where Philadelphia made Patrick Mahomes uncomfortable all evening. If the Browns do not believe there is a big difference between Shedeur Sanders and the next tier of quarterbacks, then they could wait until late Round 1 or Day 2 to address that spot.

New York wants a reason to be excited and a young quarterback delivers that belief. The Giants are desperate for an upgrade at the game’s post important position and Shedeur Sanders is more than capable of handling the pressure in the Big Apple.

New England still needs to address its offensive line issues, but those looked better with Drake Maye installed at quarterback. It should remain a priority but the Patriots are not going to have a better opportunity to add a playmaker like Travis Hunter to the offense.

Liam Coen’s first pick as head coach of the Jaguars is made on the defensive side of the ball. There is room for improvement on offense, but Mason Graham is certainly one of the best prospects available. Jacksonville is stacking talent on the defensive line with Josh Hines-Allen, Travon Walker and now Graham.

Las Vegas may have to add to the quarterback room later in the draft or through free agency, but forcing the situation is the worst thing that the franchise could do in this spot. Instead, the Raiders draft a tall wide receiver to which that new quarterback can throw.

D.J. Reed is slated to hit free agency. The Lions placed an emphasis on upgrading the secondary over the past two years because Aaron Glenn wanted to play a physical brand of football. By pairing Sauce Gardner and Will Johnson together, he is bringing that same philosophy to the Big Apple.

Jalon Walker is a specialized pass rusher, but the Panthers would be hard-pressed to find a player more capable of creating pressure at this point. The hope is that Carolina can continue its offensive success while building toward the future.

Shemar Stewart has the positional flexibility to play end or tackle. He has the length that Mickey Loomis has looked for among its defensive linemen in the past. Few have the amount of athletic potential that Stewart possesses.

Before Ben Johnson can worry himself about acquiring the skill talent that he had in Detroit, he must first clone the offensive line. The Lions’ protection was the secret to so many of the offensive tricks being possible.

Armand Membou has risen precipitously upon learning that his arm length more than cleared the NFL’s desired thresholds to play offensive tackle. San Francisco does not want to find itself in the position of needing to address both offensive tackles in the same offseason, so the 49ers are aggressive in filling the role. There is depth at defensive tackle in this draft class, so they can still add a body or two at that spot along the way.

There are ways to take pressure off CeeDee Lamb being the only consistent outlet in the pass game without addressing wide receiver. There is plenty of time to supplement the pass catchers, but Ashton Jeanty is a dynamic runner, as well as a net positive in the pass game.

There are a few defined needs for Miami this offseason and safety is near the top of the list. Malaki Starks is the best example of a rangy, ball-hawking safety in the class whereas Nick Emmanwori has more size and versatility.

There are more ways to support a young quarterback than giving him a wide receiver, which Indianapolis did last offseason. A tight end is a young quarterback’s best friend and having Tyler Warren as an outlet could take some of the pressure off Anthony Richardson working through his progressions.

Mykel Williams is not a finished product and that could mean his development must continue in the NFL. Atlanta could look back on this draft in five years and realize it got a steal. Williams has great size and athleticism.

Arizona continues adding talent to its defensive line a year after drafting Darius Robinson in the first round. James Pearce Jr. is still a relatively young player who can gain more mass to consistently win with power, but there is no questioning his first-step quickness and athleticism.

Cincinnati lost D.J. Reader last offseason and B.J. Hill, Sheldon Rankins are free agents this offseason. The Bengals drafted Kris Jenkins last year, but that part of the roster was not a point of pride. They need to add reinforcements this offseason.

The possibility of Seattle’s wide receiver room being turned over this offseason is very real. There are ways to supplement the pass catchers without directly adding at wide receiver. Colston Loveland would give them a field-stretching tight end who can also help in the run game.

Chris Godwin is a free agent this offseason. Former offensive coordinator Liam Coen and the organization did not end on the best terms, so there may be a vested interest in proving they can succeed without Coen. Jalen McMillan will be a part of that offense, but Luther Burden III is drafted as a complement to Mike Evans.

D.J. Jones is a pending free agent. If Denver is unable to retain him, then defensive tackle jumps to the top of the list of needs. Walter Nolen has shown improvement each year and may finally be able to reach his ceiling with the Broncos.

There has been some scuttlebutt that George Pickens has worn out his welcome in Pittsburgh and could be on the move. If that were to happen, then a predominant slot receiver is not going to help the offense as much as a player like Matthew Golden, who has the potential to stretch the field.

Los Angeles fortifies its protection of Justin Herbert with the selection of Tyler Booker, who is the fourth first-round pick on that offensive line. The Chargers could still use a tight end, but the Chargers are one step closer toward building an offense in Jim Harbaugh’s image.

It is likely that Green Bay moves on from Jaire Alexander this offseason, which creates a void on the outside and allows the team to lean into its propensity to draft defenders in the first round. Shavon Revel is a tall cornerback with good ball skills coming off a season-ending injury.

Kansas City tried three left tackles before moving All-Pro guard Joe Thuney into that role. As a result, the guard spot became more of a concern and the Chiefs were more unable to run the football. They trade up to fill an offensive need — as they did a year ago with Xavier Worthy.

Houston becomes more stingy at the point of attack with the insertion of massive interior defender Kenneth Grant. If Danielle Hunter returns with Will Anderson Jr. on the opposite side, then the Texans can afford to sacrifice some pass rush up the middle with more reliability from their run defense.

Josh Simmons’ tape at left tackle, before he got hurt, was the best of any prospect in this draft class. The problem is that he suffered a season-ending injury, is only one year removed from San Diego State and most of his game play was against non-Power 4 competition. Los Angeles is willing to take a chance on filling the positional need later in the first round.

Baltimore adds another pass rusher to the mix with Marshall’s Mike Green. He is part of the plan to eventually replace Kyle Van Noy.

In the event that veteran guard Kevin Zeitler moves on this offseason, Detroit will want to add competition with Christian Mahogany and Graham Glasgow for those two starting roles. Donovan Jackson has proven that he can step in at tackle in a pinch, so his presence on Detroit’s roster is valuable.

Terry McLaurin has delivered big plays for the Commanders, but they could use a more consistent outlet underneath to capitalize on those field-stretching plays. Emeka Egbuka did not set Ohio State receiving records by coincidence, but rather a committed approach to route-running.

Buffalo’s cornerback room has been inhibited by a lack of production, as well as injuries. The Bills add a cornerback with great length as they are apt to do.

After trading down with Kansas City, the Vikings are still able to address of a big position of need. Tyleik Williams is not going to offer much in terms of a pass rush, but he does raise the floor of the run defense.

Grey Zabel has played offensive tackle, but has the positional flexibility to play guard or center. Philadelphia consistently invests in its offensive and defensive lines, so Zabel gives them much needed depth in a variety of roles.